Switch actuating device



Nov. 18, 1952 BLINN 2,618,713

SWITCH ACTUATING DEVICE Filed July 26, 1950 FIG.I

mm 5W1? R 2251a ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH ACTUATING DEVICE Glenn E. Blinn, Hal-worth, N. J.

Application July 26, 1950, Serial No. 175,939

(Cl. ZOO-54) 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to devices for actuating switches of the pull type in response to the movement of a nearby object. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel device operable by a door being opened or closed to actuate a switch in a room or compartment, into which the door gives access. The new device is of simple, inexpensive construction with few moving parts and it may be advantageously used to control a light in a closet, operating the light switch to turn on the light, when the closet door is opened, and to turn off. the light, when the closet door is closed. The new device is easy to install, requires no attention or adjustments in service, and has a long life, since none of its parts is subjected to substantial wear.

The new device comprises a base to be mounted adjacent the door as, for example, on the door frame, and a member, which may have the form of a bracket, for mounting on the door. A lever mounted on the base for swinging movement in a vertical plane has an end, which projects beyond the base and is adapted to be connected to the pull element of the switch. The swinging of the lever causes the element to be pulled to actuate the switch and is accomplished by means operatively connected to the lever and including a cam member projecting below the base in position to be engaged and moved by the bracket in its movement with the door in either direction. As the door is opened, the bracket moves the cam member to swing the lever and actuate the switch, and, when the bracket has passed by the cam member, the lever and other parts of the device are restored to their initial positions by the switch spring taking up the pull element. When the door is closed, the bracket again engages the cam member to actuate the switch and then passes by the cam member, so that the latter may be moved back to lie in the path of the bracket for actuation thereby the next time the door is opened.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the device installed on the frame of a door;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of part of the device;

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the device of Fig. 3 from the right-hand end;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modified construction;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the parts in different positions; and

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of part of the modified form of the device.

The device, as illustrated in Figs. 1-4, inclusive, comprises a base I I], which may take the form of a piece of sheet metal bent to channel form and provided with lateral flanges II, by means of which the base may be mounted adjacent to a door, as, for example, on the frame I2 of door I3. The channel extends at right angles to the door, when the latter is closed, and the forward end of the base lies near the inner side of the closed door.

A lever I4 is mounted on the base on a pivot I5, such as a rivet, which extends between the walls of the channel of the base, and the lever has a long arm Ha projecting outwardly beyond the rear end of the channel and a short arm Mb lying within the channel and formed with a slot I6. A second lever I'I lies within the channel and is pivoted at its forward end on a rivet I8 extending between'the walls of the channel close to the forward end thereof. The lever I! is provided with a cam projection I9, which normally extends through a slot in the bottom of the channel, and the rear end of the lever I1 is formed with a hook 20 entering the slot I6 in the short arm I 41) of lever I 4. The free end of lever I la is adapted to be connected to the pull element, such as the chain 2|, of a pull switch 22 and the connection is made in such a manner that, under ordinary conditions, the retraction of the chain by the spring of the switch moves lever Ida clockwise until the lower side of its short arm I4b engages the bottom of the channel. When lever I la is in that position, lever I1 has been swung to the full line position shown in Fig. l and its cam projection I9 projects through the slot in the bottom of the base.

The device is actuated by a member 23 adapted to be attached to the rear surface of door I3 and the member is illustrated as taking the form of a bracket having an upwardly extending rear end 23a. The bracket is so mounted on the door and is of such length that, when the door is closed, the raised end 23a of the bracket lies close to the lower surface of the base beyond the downwardly projecting cam portion I9 of lever I I. When the door is opened and the bracket moves with it, the raised end 23 of the bracket engages the lower surface of the cam portion I9 of lever I! and causes the lever to be swung clockwise, as the device is seen in Fig. 1. In the swinging of lever IT, the engagement of hook 20 on the lever with a wall of the slot I6 in lever I4 causes lever I4 to swing counterclockwise, so that the free end of the long arm Ma of lever I4 moves downwardly, pulling on chain 2| to actuate the switch and turn on the lamp 24 mounted in the switch socket. As soon as the raised end 23a of the bracket has passed by the cam projection I9 on lever H, the switch spring retracts the chain and this moves lever I4 clockwise. In this movement of lever I4, a wall of its slot I 6 engages hook 20 on lever I1 and moves the hook and lever I'I counterclockwise. The movement of the levers continues until the cam projection I9 again extends below the base in the path of the raised portion 23a of the bracket. The lamp then continues to be lighted until the door is closed. Just before complete closure of the door, the raised portion 23a of the bracket on the door engages the cam projection IS on lever H and swings the lever upwardly, so that lever I4 is moved counterclockwise and the switch operated to out oh the lamp. As the lamp is turned off just before the door is completely closed, the person closing the door can tell whether the device has operated to perform its intended function.

The modified construction shown in Fig, 5 includes a base It, which is similar to base H! and secured to the frame l2 of door It the same manner. The second form of the device includes a lever pivoted at one end on a pivot 26 mounted between the walls of the channel of base Iii and the end of the lever projects outwardly beyond the base and is adapted to be connected to the pull chain 2| of the switch. The lever is operated by means 'actuatedIby a member, such as a bracket 23, attached to door l3 and such means include a cam member 21 pivoted on a rivet 23 between the wallsof the channel of the base. The cam member has a cam surface 29 normally projecting through an opening in the bottom of the base and the member is provided near its rear edge with a hook 3G entering a slot Bid in one arm of a lever 3| pivoted on a rivet 32 between the walls of the channel. Lever 3| projects beyond the pivot 25 of lever 25 and is cut away at 3 lb, so that it may move freely despite the presence of pivot 26. To the rear of pivot 26, lever 3| is provided with a hook 33 entering an opening 3 in lever 25. At its forward end, lever 3| has a cam projection 35, which, in the normal condition of the device, projects through the same opening in the bottom of the channel as the cam member 21 and lies to the rear of the cam member.

The parts of the second form of the device are shown in Fig. 5 in the positions, which they occupy, when the door is closed and the pull chain 2| has swung lever 25 clockwise. Such movement of lever 25 has caused lever 3| to swing clockwise and cam member 21 to swing counterclockwise. The cam member 21 is in such position that its cam surface is exposed beyond the bottom of the channel and the cam projection 35 on lever 3| also projects through the opening in the channel and lies in the path of the upturned rear end of bracket 23'. When the door is opened and bracket 23 moves outwardly, the rear end of the bracket engages the rear surface of the cam projection 35 on lever 3| and causes the lever to be swung counterclockwise. This causes a similar movement of lever 25 and a clockwise movement of cam member 2?. As lever 25 swings as described, it pulls on cord 2| to actuate the switch and turn on the lamp. When the rear end of the bracket has passed be yond the cam surface 29 on member 21, the switch spring retracts cord 2| and this restores the parts of the device to the positions, in which they are illustrated in Fig. 5. When the door is next closed, the rear end of bracket 23 engages the cam surface 29 on member 21 and causes the cam member to swing clockwise and levers 3| and 25 to swing counterclockwise. This results in the chain 2| being pulled to actuate the switch to put out the lamp and, when the end of bracket 23 has passed beyond cam surface 29, the parts assume their normal positions shown in Fig. 5.

In both constructions described, it will be noted that the arm of lever M or 25 connected to the pull chain of the switch is longer than the arm, which is operated by the action of the bracket on the door. A small movement of lever I? or of cam member 21 and lever 3|, accordingly, produces a relatively larger movement of the free end of lever 14 or 25, such movement being sufficient to pull the cord to the extent necessary to operate the switch. The construction shown in Fig. 5 has one more moving par-t than that shown in Fig. 1 but is somewhat easier to operate because of the position of pivots 28, 32 in relation to the path of travel of the rear end of the bracket.

I claim: r

l. A device for operating a pull switch, which comprises a base adapted to be mounted adjacent a door, a lever pivoted at one end on the base for movement in a vertical plane and having an arm projecting beyond the base in a direction away from the door, the free end of the arm being adapted to be connected to the pull element of the switch, and means mounted on the base and operable by the member moving with the door to swing the lever to pull the element to actuate the switch, said means including a cam member pivoted on the base and having a portion normally projecting beyond the base into the path of travel of the member on the door, as the door approaches the base, and a second lever pivoteo on the base to swing in a vertical plane and having one end continuously connected to the first lever and its other end continuously connected to the cam member, the second lever having a cam portion normally projecting beyond the base into the path of travel of the member on the door in the initial movement of the member, as the door is moved away from the base.

2. A device for operating a pull switch, which comprises a base adapted to be mounted adjacent a door, a lever pivoted at one end on the base for movement in a vertical plane and having an arm projecting beyond the base in a direction away from the door, the free end of the arm being adapted to be connected to the pull element of the switch, a second lever pivoted on the base and having one end continuously connected to-thefirst lever, the second lever having a cam portion normally projecting below the base into the path of travel of the member on the door, and a cam lever pivoted on the base and continuously connectedto the other end of the second lever, the cam lever having a cam portion normally projectin below the base into the path of travel of the member on the door, the cam portion of the cam lever lyin in position to be engaged first by the member on the door, as the door is approaching the base.

7 GLENN E. BLINN.

, REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:'

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

